Travels with my Art

Paintings and Photographs inspired by Travels Around the World

Walking on the Clouds – the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

If you ever wondered what it feels like to walk on the clouds then you should visit the Salar de Uyuni.

Located in the southwest corner of Bolivia, the Salar de Uyuni is a blindingly white salt flat, which stretches for more than 4,500 square miles.

To be fair, at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet above sea level, in theory you could be walking above the clouds and it comes as no surprise that this stunning ethereal  landscape has been dubbed by some as ‘heaven on earth’.

The Salar de Uyuni (of the salt flats of Uyuni in English) is an otherworldly place. Here the sky and ground seem to merge into one to create a dreamy panorama, where everything plays tricks on your eyes and the whole landscape becomes an optical illusion.

For half of the year you can drive across the white hexagonal tiles of salt that seem to go on forever and ever, and for the other half of the year the Salar becomes a giant puddle where the reflection of the sky and clouds make it look like the world’s biggest mirror.

Abstract Salar Salt Flats

In my triptych painting of the Salar de Uyuni, I wanted to capture the many different colours that you seem to see as you gaze at this hazy landscape. I used acrylic paint so I could put multiple layers of colour, then at the end added the titanium white with a palette knife.

Here a few sketches of the Salar de Uyuni and the Atacama Desert from my sketchbook done in chalk pastel.

Some photos from the Salar and in the Atacama Desert.

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33 Comments

  1. Leya January 31, 2018

    Gorgeous – would love to visit.

  2. Ann Curran January 31, 2018

    Stunning landscape, but love your representations.

  3. uma197 February 3, 2018

    I would have never picked to go to Bolivia now its going on my bucket list

  4. Kaylene Chadwell February 3, 2018

    Wow, your paintings and sketches are amazing! So beautiful!

  5. Bubu Backpacks February 3, 2018

    Wow this place is beautiful and your photos are incredible! I’d love to visit someday 🙂

  6. Asif Shaikh March 9, 2018

    I was not aware of Salar de Uyuni and now am completely captivated by this beautiful place. I will definitely add this to my subject list and try to get the art done around it.
    Thanks for sharing Ali!

  7. denizdikmenblue May 30, 2018

    Really Nice – it reminds me of my trip to Nemrut where I took a horse ( muli ) to get up the site – it was like riding on the clouds -so beautiful – you cant describe it !

    • alidunnell May 30, 2018 — Post Author

      Thanks for visiting my site and the positive comments. I loved Uyuni so much, it was a really magical experience 🙂

  8. DinaD August 4, 2018

    Oh this is absolutely stunning! A bucket list place that I hope to see! beautiful artwork too, you should submit to a gallery 🙂

    • alidunnell August 6, 2018 — Post Author

      Thanks so much Dina – That’s exactly what I am hoping into do… and positive feedback is exactly the incentive I need to continue with my art 🙂

  9. Anisa August 5, 2018

    I love your paintings! I have never been to a salt flat and it looks really interesting. I didn’t realize the ones in Bolivia where at such a high altitude

  10. Neeti September 7, 2018

    Wow, your paintings and sketches are looks stunning!
    Thanks for sharing.

  11. Indain Art zone November 14, 2018

    paintings are really classy and smootthy

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  13. ArtZone August 3, 2019

    Beautiful place and pictures are also very nice, never knew about this place. Thanks for sharing

  14. ArtZone August 6, 2019

    beautiful pictures, in love with those texture and colors. thanks for sharing

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